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A mother's resolve to bring clarity and focus to her daughter's life has led to the creation of a video that's being used in schools, hospitals, nursing facilities and homes across the country. The 43-minute DVD is called "MeMoves." The video is divided into categories called Joy, Focus and Calm that are formatted into 13 sequences that show people of all ages and colors, one at a time, making simple "geometric" hand gestures to the soothing, slow beat of various musical instruments. The background is stark black. There's no narrative.

Another step in the evolving process for Hwy. 35 to become a freeway occurs next Thursday evening, Jan. 20, at the Troy Town Hall. A public hearing will be held from 5:30-8:30 p.m. The hearing's focus is the mapping of future road connections between Radio Road by River Falls and Coulee Trail by Hudson. Those connections will be needed as various roads that access and exit from Hwy. 35 are closed.

Is there enough strong, steady wind at the university's Mann Valley Lab Farm in the town of Troy to justify building commercial turbines that could supply half the campus's energy needs? That's what a study underway will show. The report is due by Dec. 1. Mike Stifter, UW-River Falls director of facilities management, says the idea was spurred by the university's off-the-grid energy goals.

A retirement has brought changes to the operations of the Free Clinic of Pierce & St. Croix Counties. Linda Robertson, Hudson, manager of clinical services since the clinic opened its doors more than three years ago, is leaving to join her husband in retirement. Robertson, who will be 62, said the timing was right to retire. "My career has been involved in building nonprofits from the ground up, usually on behalf of those who don't have a voice, like the uninsured or those with some type of mental or physical disability," Robertson said.

Pat O'Malley, owner of Kilkarney Hills Golf Club in River Falls, arrived in Haiti Tuesday just an hour before the massive earthquake struck. O'Malley has done humanitarian work in Haiti for years and makes frequent trips to that island nation. His family had no word on his well-being until mid-afternoon Wednesday when they got a brief e-mail from him saying, "I am OK." Daughter Sherry O'Malley said even getting those three words was a relief. "All we know is that he's alive," she said from the O'Malley home in rural River Falls.

Days after his wife of 60 years suddenly died, Alan Stewart got a late Sunday night call recently saying his son was nearly mauled to death by his pet dog and was undergoing hours of overnight life-saving surgery. Jim Stewart, 53, had friends with him at Regions Hospital. They told Alan to wait till morning to visit. Naturally, Alan could hardly sleep before rushing off to the hospital very early the next day, Oct.

Since April 2006 a collection of nearly 20 personal items including gold and diamond wedding and engagement rings, necklaces and watches have been stored at the River Falls Police Department as evidence for a unsolved potential crime. It's been long enough now that River Falls Police Investigator John Wilson could auction them off. Proceeds would be plowed back into the city's General Fund. But Wilson's not ready to give up. Not yet.

When we last saw them, they were two buds, cruising the St. Croix, smiling in the warm sun while publicly chanting the mantra of cooperation between the two states. Oh, but that was so yesterday. Governor chums Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, a Republican, and Jim Doyle of Wisconsin, a Democrat, couldn't bring their friendly charms to devise a practical solution for constituents. Thousands of Wisconsin resident commuters to Minnesota will pay the price.

Friday afternoon River Falls police were sent to a house in the 200 block of West Division Street after an inquiry regarding the safety of old military ammunition found there. After investigating, officers found a potential safety threat existed for the neighborhood should the ammunition detonate. The Marathon County Bomb Squad is on its way to analyze the situation and dispose of the material. Division Street from Clark to Fremont streets is closed. Police are telling residents in the immediate area that a voluntary evacuation is underway and strongly advised. Evacuated residents are enc